Comic Books As History Essay

Comic books have long been regarded as a genre of literature for the immature and the trivial. The graphic representation of a story at first glance provides a lightweight medium to carry a serious message. The utilization of two types of media, the written word and the graphic portrayal, serves as a conflict of messages, a breach in the unity of form. However, in Joseph Witek’s book entitled Comic Books as History, he provides case points and works where comic books have both the authority as well as the authenticity to suitably serve as a medium for portraying history. Who has the right to speak? When does the gap between art and life become so wide that fiction becomes a blasphemous lie? Witken p.38 These are the questions put forth by Author Joseph Witek in chapters 4 &5 of his Comic Books as History. The first, â€Å"who has the right to speak?† denotes an active search for a medium with authority to portray dark parts of history. And few events could be much darker than the Holocaust. The era of the rise of Hitler and the Nazis and their atrocities to the Jewish people beg the question of how to portray it. The revulsion of providing aesthetic description to an evil event stems from authors’ reticence in taking another people’s suffering as their own. And yet, if the alternative is silence, then future generations will be unable to see a representation of those dark days. If the silence were to endure, then no condemnation, sympathy, no regret, no emotion whatsoever would be imparted to those unaware.   Therefore, as Witek asserts, the alternative to silence is to speak out with a medium that resonates with both the authority to speak, and the authenticity to do so, which he implies in the second question â€Å"When does the gap between art and life become so wide that fiction becomes a blasphemous lie?†. In Art Spiegelman’s autobiographical comic Maus, the subject of the Holocaust and its survivors was taken up. To Witken, Spiegelman’s work is a credible medium to tackle the holocaust because he has the necessary authority and authenticity to do so.   The authority, Witken claims, comes from a â€Å"personal psychological necessity†. Maus for Spiegelman is a kind of therapy, a way to comprehend his own history, both as a person and as a Jew. The comic becomes a way to breach a gap produced by the Holocaust, a distance between the Jews who experienced, and those who did not. This is evident in the portrayal of the interactions between Art and his Father Vladek, most noticeably in the scene showing making of Maus. The interactions show transference of the pain, the pain of the Holocaust to the father, and as a result, shaping the father to a being that brings emotional pain to the son. In a scene in the Prisoner on the Hell Planet, the story of Spiegelman’s mental anguish as a result of his mother is portrayed. Spiegelman feels that the emotion he feels from his parents is caused by their experiences in the holocaust and yet, he is unable to understand how those experiences shaped their person. Thus, in a way, the Maus was written to provide an understanding of knowledge just present at the back of the minds of the generation of Jews after the Holocaust. A generation, who like Spiegelman, won’t be content with just silence. To successfully portray history, the accuracy of the details is not enough to attain authenticity. The inclusion of every emotion felt, and every though, as well as their representation. And it is in this representation that Spiegelman defends his use of animals instead of people. In order to pass through the authentic message, the use of people would inevitably show a false image, but in using animals, Spiegelman portrayed the emotions as they are, not as people show them to be. This is evident in the dialogue of Art trying to draw his wife. The use of animals is limited to just portraying the themes, bestiality, extermination, but the humanity of each character is still there. Another case point in Witek’s book is the American Splendour series of comics made by Harvey Pekar in collaboration with various artists. This series is hailed by Witek as a comic genre separate from others, as it tries to make the reader experience the life and times of the author. This â€Å"autobiographical’ comic book portrays various events in Harvey Pekar’s life, from the exceptional to the more occurring dull moments. The reader sees what Harvey Pekar experiences in various situations, through various styles and viewpoints. The authority of the comic to tell an existing person’s story is exemplified by American Splendor.   Pekar states his reason for the theme of American Splendor by saying I want to write literature that pushes people into their lives rather than helping them escape from them. Most comic books are vehicles for escapism, which I think is unfortunate. I think the so-called average person often exhibits a great deal of heroism in getting through a normal day, and yet the reading public takes this heroism for granted. They’d rather read about Superman than themselves American Splendor does exactly that. It let’s the readers face the reality of Harvey Pekar’s hum drum existence, and in doing so, makes the readers see the parallelism of it with their own.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   So what right does Harvey Pekar have to exhibit such unbiased realism in comic book form? His authority, as Witek implies is in his persona. Pekar is a full-time employee, and just a part time comic book creator; in essence, he lives the life that his comic books portray. All the vulgarities, emotions, thoughts and experiences found in the comics are essentially his to share.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Witek focuses on Pekar’s use of various forms and styles within the comic to show the authenticity of the work. American Splendor has no underlying consistent narration or view point. The persona may shift from the Harvey talking, and then to his wife reminiscing, and then coming back to a past event shared by both. This, instead of confusing reality with various viewpoints, lets the reader fully grasp the Harvey Pekar experience. Every detail from every role is portrayed accurately just as the author experienced it, thus we may see strips of stories simply heard by Pekar, as well experiences seen from Pekar’s view point, or the viewpoint of others towards Pekar. This adds a dimension of realism that successfully conveys the feeling of experiencing a day in the life of Harvey Pekar.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The success of the American Splendor series comes from its realism. We see Harvey Pekar as a person, full of foibles, emotion, errors and triumphs. We see and yet we do not judge, for in seeing those things in him, we also recognize that we as persons are guilty of the exact same reactions. Harvey Pekar does not portray himself, but the experience he has in the run of a normal day. Thus, no overtones of glorification or damnation can be evidently found within the text, for Pekar describes it as it is, without thought for shame, pride and ego. He focuses on the situation, making it, not Harvey Pekar, the real protagonist of his comics.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to Robert Harvey, the comic book is just the sum of its parts. The unity of form that is achieved when the written word and the visual depiction merges makes the comic an ideal medium for expressing mood and tone. To fully utilize the comic as this medium, all of the graphic elements, the page layout, style, the narrative and composition must meld with the written caption. This in effect highlights the authenticity of the comic in bringing across the message of the author.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Using these elements, we can find key scenes in both Maus and American Splendor which serve to support Witek’s argument of the comic as history.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On page 83 of chapter 4 of Maus, we see an example of the effect when the caption fits in perfectly with the visual depiction. Due to the nature of the characterization, the visual element depends on the caption to identify which animal is which. The first words of the page set the whole tone, a somber realization. The following scene further reinforces the message, the interplay showing the noticeable distress of Vladek when he comes home and recounts the news. The boxed captions showing Vladek’s thoughts serves to highlight the underlying tone that it could be him hanging on the streets instead of the people he deals with. The final emphasis comes from the use of shaded lines to color the masses witnessing the hanging, giving them an aura of unimportance due to their impotence.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     In American Splendor- A Marriage Album, we can see examples that illustrates how the factors mentioned by Harvey colluded to heighten the experience of the reader.The story starts with Pekar seeing his wife Joyce off, then it shifts to a reverie of Herschel/Harvey about the marriage. The scene then shifts to Joyce’s recounting of their then budding relationship, with highlights on the difficulties. Both accounts fuse together in the end, and the final scene shows perfect timing in summarizing the totality of the story, the interplay of how other people see their actions, Joyce’s joy in telling Harvey, and Harvey’s discomfort, which he tries to hide by throwing the box he was loading into the truck.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The two stories justify Witek’s premise of comic as history. The Maus focuses on the interplay of Jewish generations and the gap between the Holocaust and post-holocaust jews. American Splendor on the other hand emphasizes the scenes found in real, normal life, showing a reality as experienced by the author, Harvey Pekar. Both the authors of Maus and American Splendor exhibit the authority to tell their story in the comic medium. And in analyzing the different factors they use in telling the story, we see that they have the authenticity to do so as well. References Witek, J. (1990). Comic Books As History (The Narrative Art of Jack Jackson, Art Spiegelman, and Harvey Pekar).

Promoting the Integration of Therapeutic Touch in Nursing Practice Essay

1. Describe the patient group in the study. English speaking adults with Dx of cancer expected to be on the unit the day following the intervention, whose medical conditions did not preclude their ability to comfortably receive TT or participate in the interview, and were able to give informed consent; 34 patient-participants completed the research process (16 women and 18 men), age range of 22 to 77 with an average age of 52 years 2. What was their health problem? Bone marrow transplant Patients. The focus of the study? Explore the experiences of nurses and patients on an inpatient oncology and bone marrow transplant unit when nurses had time preserved for exclusive offering of TT. 3. Who was providing the care? Two staff nurse-interventionists who were experienced and participated in TT education, and three nurse-interviewers who discussed the TT intervention with patient-participants the day following TT treatment. 4. What was the setting for the care? The study was conducted in an academic medical center on a 26 bed hematology/oncology in patient unit with bone marrow transplantation program. 5. What were the findings? 1) TT is a vehicle for comfort, caring, and presence that creates possibility and healing 2) TT invites a shift from disease-state focus to personhood focus that is freeing and reawakens the essence of nursing 3)TT is an intervention that illuminates the transformative power of nursing theory-research-practice. 6. What were the recommendations? Having a complementary nursing strategy, such as TT, that allows nurses an additional way to offering care that facilitates comfort, assists with anxiety reduction, and enhances sleep is of major significance. 7. How practical/useful is this information to a practicing nurse? I am not sure how practical TT is. First, you would have to have additional staff to allow for the time to educate seasoned nurses in TT and then to perform TT on the patients. You would also have to have the support of the administrative staff. However, I do believe that laying on of hands is an effective therapeutic tool. 8. What I wonder is†¦.. would there be a similar outcome in other specialty areas that patients have not had the opportunity to establish a trusting relationship with the nursing staff prior to TT.

ALGORITHM - MEANING

ALGORITHM MEANING In the most basic sense, an algorithm is a process- a set of detailed instruction that must be carried out in a particular order and follows logic to attain a given result. An algorithm is a well-defined procedure or set of rules guaranteed to achieve a certain objective. You use an algorithm every time you follow the directions to put together a new toy, use a recipe to make cookies, or defrost something in the microwave (personal algorithms). When the term algorithm used in math, it typically refers to a set of steps or procedures used to solve a mathematical computation. In mathematics, an algorithm is a specific series of steps that will give you the correct answer every time. For example, in grade school, you and your classmates probably learned and memorized a certain finite steps or procedures for addition, subtraction and multiplying etc. (standard algorithms). Algorithm are of two type: informal (personal) and formal (standard) algorithm. An informal algorithm is a procedure that the student him/herself figured out while a formal algorithm is a process and procedure that has been taught to them. It may or may not be similar to a conventional algorithms (formal algorithms). Examples on Informal Algorithms Examples on Formal Algorithms 1. ADD the given numbers 109 + 207 Jimmy did like this. David did like this. =100+9+200+7 109-9=100 =300+16 207-7=200 =316 200+100=300 9+7=16 300+16=316 2. Multiply the given number 25Ãâ€"13 25(20+5) x13(10+3) ————– 15 60 50 + 200 ————— 325 1. ADD the given numbers 109+207 1 109 + 207 ——– 316 ——– 2. Multiply the given number 25Ãâ€"13 1 25 x13 ———— 75 +25x ———— 325 MERITS OF INFORMAL ALGORITHMS They learn to think and use their common sense, as well as new skills and knowledge. Students who invent their own procedures: Learn that their intuitive methods are valid and that mathematics makes sense. Become more proficient with mental arithmetic. Are motivated because they understand their own methods, as opposed to learning by rote. Become skilled at representing ideas with objects, words, pictures, and symbols. Develop persistence and confidence in dealing with challenging problems. ADVANTAGES OF THE FORMAL ALGORITHMS Plunkett (1979), Thompson (1997), Usiskin (1998) and other writers offered several reasons for this. These included :  ¢ Standard algorithms are powerful in solving classes of problems, particularly where the computation involves many numbers, where memory may be overloaded.  ¢ Standard algorithms contracted, summarizing several lines of equation involving distributivity and associativity.  ¢ Standard algorithms are automatic, being able to be taught to, and carried out by, someone without having to analyze the underlying basis of the algorithm.  ¢ Standard algorithms are fast, with a direct route to the answer.  ¢ Standard algorithms provide the written record of computation, enabling teachers and students to locate any errors in the algorithm.  ¢ Standard algorithms can be instructive.  ¢ For teachers these are easy to manage and assess. DISADVANTAGES OF THE FORMAL ALGORITHMS Kamii and Dominick (1998), McIntosh (1998), and Northcote McIntosh (1999) have potential dangers that can be summarized as follows :  ¢ They do not correspond to the ways in which people tend to think about numbers.  ¢ They encourage children to give up their own thinking and creativity, leading to loss of ownership of ideas .  ¢ The traditionally-taught (standard) algorithm may no longer be the most efficient and easily learned.  ¢ They tend to lead to blind acceptance of results and over-zealous applications. Given the focus on procedures that require little thinking, children often use an standard algorithms when it is not at all necessary.  ¢ There is a high probability that the students will lose conceptual knowledge in the process of gaining procedural knowledge. There is also the use of relevance. Students use standard algorithms for only a small proportion of their calculation.

Verdict Of The Coroner's Inquest Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Verdict Of The Coroner's Inquest - Essay Example a dependent position." (Matthews, 2010) The law does draw a distinction between neglect and the negligence While essentially accidental, a failure by caregivers was the actual causative agent. The medical staff failed in their essential duties towards this patient, but health care was provided although the proper precautions were not taken to ensure that the prescribed treatment was administered correctly. It is noteworthy that the specialist pharmacist stated that no single person w as completely responsible for the death, in the capacity of sole culprit. ?he system was in place, not wholly effective.There were mistakes made by several parties. Yet it is clear that the mistaken dosage was clearly an error, per the professional diagnosis by Dr. R, where he described the dispensation of the medication as 'glaringly wrong', and a 'huge aberration.' Furthermore, investigations of medical findings pertaining to nodular sclerosing Hodgkin's disease will reveal that the condition is not in variably fatal. (van Spronsen et al., 2000) The inevitability of J's death is not to be taken for granted with absolute certainty. While a doctor had predicted the patient's present status to most likely result in mortality, the death of this individual was not unavoidable from this condition, nor should the consequences of his demise be viewed as less severe, on account of J's age or health status. Even should the physician's estimate of 27 months have been accurate, negligence is still apparent, and the patient was not entirely beyond hope. And while the Dr. has noted that J's condition was terminal, with a 27 month probable lifespan based on medical precedent for others suffering from nodular sclerosing Hodgkin's disease, the five-year survival rate ranges from 90 to 60%, depending upon... This essay analyzes that there are no apparent incentives that would suggest the error to be the result of deliberate action on the part of the patient, or on the part of the pharmacist. Thus negligence contributed to the accidental death of the patient, J. in the absence of actual malice, or evidence of deliberate denial of care and the narrative verdict is warranted in the case of J.  This essay analyzes that there are no apparent incentives that would suggest the error to be the result of deliberate action on the part of the patient, or on the part of the pharmacist. Thus negligence contributed to the accidental death of the patient, J. in the absence of actual malice, or evidence of deliberate denial of care and the narrative verdict is warranted in the case of J.   The purposes of this inquest require an exhaustive summary of the circumstances surrounding the death of the patient, ways in which that death might have been prevented and contributing factors. This verdict has a ttempted to give a factual account of the demise of J, in the absence of deliberate, premeditated actions that were intended to cause death. This would also C exclude the deliberate withholding of sustenance or treatment. The narrative is an accounting of events and contributing factors, but it is not appropriate in this instance to make a definitive attempt to assign blame in the criminal sense. The pharmacy staff could have double checked their assumptions. The chief pharmacist could have ensured that those under him operated in accordance with the proper protocols. Nurses at the rest home should have had an opportunity to at least question the dosage, should any of them have been familiar with the standard dosages of this sort of chemotherapy. The principal pharmacist should in all probability face sanction, but his actions were not deliberate, and an attempt was made to provide care albeit grossly incorrect.

HCI Design Project Usability Evaluation Criteria Research Paper

HCI Design Project Usability Evaluation Criteria - Research Paper Example Several criteria have been established for evaluating the usability of a user interface design in the current design paradigms. For purposes of this evaluation we shall focus on the heuristic evaluation and usability testing criteria that has been supported by several authors in the field of user interface design (Madan & Dubey, 2012). Jacob Nielsen is considered the father of Heuristic Evaluation criteria. He developed a set of heuristics referred to as Jacob Nielsen’s heuristics that are used for user interface design and evaluation to date (Inostroza, Rusu, Roncagliolo, Jimenez & Rusu, 2012). According to Nielsen, the main goal of the heuristic evaluation criteria is to identify the problems that are associated with the design of a user interface. He developed the criteria based on his experience as a long serving consultant of usability engineering (Inostroza et al, 2012). Heuristics are common evaluation techniques in the field of Human Computer Interaction (HCI) that is mainly conducted in the context of typical tasks that are performed by users. The designer obtains feedback from the users regarding the compatibility of the interface with their intended use and the performance in meeting their needs (Madan & Dubey, 2012). In a study carried out to determine usability of the Bogazici University Industrial Engineering website interface, heuristic evaluation was employed for evaluation of the usability of the user interface. To accomplish this task several scenarios were created for usability testing, user groups were determined based on their computing knowledge and skills. Their performance was then evaluated based on task completion success, time spent on the task, rate of accomplishment or quittance.

Business Research Individual Work 1 Week 3 Essay

Business Research Individual Work 1 Week 3 - Essay Example In order to establish such strategies, the company can carry out research on the economic environment of the emerging nations (Apple Inc. SWOT Analysis, 2014). For example, Asian emerging economies such as India may form a lucrative market for Apple products. However, a rigorous research is needed to identify the factors defining the business market in such economies. Business research can solve Apple’s problem of venturing into emerging nations as it has the capacity to provide specific information regarding the emerging markets. For example, research can provide relevant information on the pricing strategies that Apple should rely on if it is to penetrate such markets. Moreover, research will help the Apple Company identify potential barriers that it may face as it penetrates the new markets and give it an advantage to develop strategies for addressing the challenges it may face (Zikmund, 2013). A research proposal has several components which are considered as important. The first component is the statement of the problem whereby the researcher describes the context of the research topic and describes the research question that will be addressed. The second component involves a review of the available literature. In developing a literature review, the researcher considers both relevant and recent sources related to the research topic. The third component is the statement of the hypothesis. Evidently, each research project has a set of hypotheses that it seeks to either accept or reject depending on the findings of the research (Zikmund, 2013). The fourth component is a description of the methodology to be used in the research. This involves presenting details of the sample size, the proposed sampling technique, and the instruments to be used in the research. Under methodology, the researcher also describes the research design in details and presents

Middle Ages to the Enlightenment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Middle Ages to the Enlightenment - Essay Example Almost entire Europe had been Christianized as the 11th century reached its end. The High Medieval Era is called as medieval society’s flowering because of the intellectual renaissance that took place in the 12th century because philosophers like Thomas Aquinas and Pierre Abelard as well as because of the establishment of many universities and knowledge centers in Oxford, Bologna, and Paris (Snell, 2014). Some of the most magnificent stone castle-buildings and cathedrals found in Europe to date were built in this period. What is known as feudalism in the present age got established in many parts of Europe including Britain? Other industries and fields that flourished included but were not limited to production and trade of the luxury goods, and crops. Europe had reached the apogee of cultural richness and economy at the end of the 13th century but was also about to see its downturn. The medieval world transformed into the early modern world by the end of the Middle Ages. Some cataclysmic events of the 14th century are the Black Death, the Italian Renaissance, and the Avignon Papacy. Shakespeare literature flourished during the 16th century and the 17th century witnessed the Great Fire of London. Corporation characterized the high medieval society. A new regard grew for the individual’s value with the sowing of the seeds of human rights in the society. Many significant changes took place in terms of the evolution of knowledge from the Middle Ages through the Age of Enlightenment till the 19th century. The Age of Enlightenment started in Europe and spread to the colonies in America. The Age of Enlightenment opposed intolerance and superstition in addition to opposing cases of power abuse by the church and the state. The history of knowledge is apparently considered to have reached a growth period in the intellectual interchange thus causing a scientific revolution.